Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698943500185.pdf (South Africa)
STRENGTHENING STATE CAPACITY TO ADVANCE SOUTH AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENTAL AGENDA AT PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVELS A presentation by Dr David Mohale 6 May 2022 Outline  What we understand to be a developmental state  Neglect of central-local relations  The case for shifting focus to subnational structures  State capacity: means to an end  Known capacities  Developmental functions  Programme  Evidence-based policy decisions and choices What we understand to be a developmental state  “Grand plan” (Routley, 2014) for economic growth industrialization  State objectives and institutional arrangements as a criteria (Knight, 2014)  Macro-organization of the state is very important  Regulatory, political, economic and social factors will either enable or disable subnational governments to perform their functions  People-centred and people-driven yet immune from capture Neglect of central-local relations  Fine (2010) observes that its popularity notwithstanding, the literature on developmental state often relegates central-local relations into the background  Colonising countries preferred centralization over decentralization in order to protect capital flight (Edoun, 2012)  States also had a moral obligation to protect themselves from external threats  However, deeper studies into East Asian miracle show that growth was “bottom- up” through building capable state institutions at local level (Bateman, 2016)  A number of other studies confirm that localized planning system and effective system of cadre management in China are the drivers of contemporary growth  In India, the state of Kerala has been performing better than the entire country on economic performance The case for shifting focus to subnational structures  Big mental rock: capacity to unlearn, relearn, unthink and rethink dominant thought paradigms (Gumede, 2016); theories must serve and not imprison – we cannot Asianize the our policies given our unique history of CST  For instance, how many of us genuinely believe that the influence of mayors is greater or can be greater than that of presidents?
Decentralisation can be the cause for development  Blemish of centralized developmental state: high levels of social (Pempel, 1999) inequality  Normative value of subnational structures, particularly local government: can responsiveness; facilitate democratic deliberation to enhance policy minimize mismatch between policy intention and actual performance  Local government is particularly the fulcrum of development; engine of the justice imperatives grand plan to realise the development and social embellished in the Constitution State capacity: means to an end  First capacity: ideation/thinking capacity….do we make time to think?
• PLAUSIBILITY: WHAT IF?

How ready are with for exogenous shocks?

Known Capacities  From a developmental state “in waiting” (Fine, 2010) to a developmental state becoming a “dream deferred” (Gumede, 2016) – Stillborn?
 Institutional Capacity: ability to uphold authority and regulation of economic and political interactions  Technical Capacity: strategic direction and effective leadership to local organisations  Administrative Capacity: ability to deliver infrastructure and other public services  Political Capacity: ability to engage different groupings in governance processes Developmental Functions  Centralised coordination – Cooperative Governance and IGR - Singular understanding of and approach to demarcation  Provision of the an economic vision - midwife role (bring new entrepreneurial actors - husbandry role (cultivate, nurture and prod them into production)  Build institutions  Manage and resolve functions between social groups - SA is highly divided with acrimonious vested interests Programme  Appreciate that knowledge economy has taken root (intangible assets, innovation than investment in machines)  Do we work with capital or do we strangulate it?
What do we do with deindustrialisation?

 Human capabilities become non-negotiable (people must live and lead the lives they desire  Prominence of decentralisation (does DORA takes service backlog into account?)

Authenticity of devolution of powers notwithstanding Constitutional checks and balances i.e.
Section 216 of the Constitution  Allocation of concomitant resources “to move citizens away from the despair to the age of hope and prosperity” (Binza, 2010)  Reduce local government policy overload; strangulation  Construct a “human developmental state” (Knight, 2014) – Section 152 seeks to uplift a human dignity  Preconditions: visionary political leadership + meritocratic bureaucracy + values- and principled based conduct (ethics) + cohesiveness between political leadership and mainly senior bureaucrats Evidence based policy decisions and choices Policy Development Framework  National approved by Cabinet in November 2020 Inculcate a culture of evidence-based policy- Is Parliament making towards improved service delivery holding accountable: policies need to be analysed for impact, benefits, costs, risks and alignment to the NDP.
Executive